Machine for setting spiral springs



No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. BORGH-ARDT.

MACHINE FOR SETTING SPIRAL SPRINGS. No. 313,706. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

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H. BORGHARDT.

MACHINE FOR SBTTINGSPIRAL SPRINGS. No. 313,706. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

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Unirrnn States Patent @rrrcra HUGO BORCHARDT, OF BRIDGEPORT,CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR SETTING SPIRAL SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,706, dated March10, 1885.

Application filed August 4, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HLUGo BOROHARDT, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Setting Springs; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same. 7

My invention relates to the manufacture of coiled-wire springs, and hasfor its object to produce a simple and convenient device,to be operatedby power, for setting the springs.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the setting of most classes ofsprings, particularly volute half-springs, has been performed by hand.This,when thespringsareheavy,necessitates the exertion of considerablephysical force, and is, moreover, as compared with my present method, aslow and expensive operation.

In order that the operation of setting may be performed as rapidly asthe springs can be handled, I have devised the simple and novel machinewhich I will now describe, referring by letters to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of the entire machine, with one side of the frame-workwholly removed, leaving the slides in place; Fig. 2, a plan view withone of the slides partially broken away; Fig. 3, a transverse sectionbetween the slides, showing the mandrel and spring-carrying plate inelevation; Fig. 4, a detail of the bumper or striker; Fig. 5, a detail"of the mandrel; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the rear slide whichcarries the springcarrying plate, the mandrel not being shown and Fig.7, an elevation of a spring.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures;

A indicates the side pieces of the machine, and B the legs.

0 and D are slides arranged in ways A in the side pieces.

E is a mandrel, which is made integral with or firmly attached to ayoke, F,which is bolted to the side pieces. The mandrel I construct (Nomodel.)

as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5-that is, to consist of radial wings E,which gradually taper toward the apex of the mandrel, and are firmlyjoined together atthe center thereof. Three or any suitable number ofwings may be used; but three will be found quite sufficient. The objectof this construction is to provide a firm support for the spring as theplate is moved forward in the act of setting a spring. At the end of themandrel I provide a rotating point or pin, E the shank of which extendsinto the mandrel, and is provided with a groove which is engaged by apin or screw driven in from theoutside, so that the point is firmlysecured, but at the same time is free to rotate.

G is a plate carried by the rear slide, D. This plate is provided withradial slots G which correspond in number with the radial wings on themandrel, and are just large enough to permit the plate to slidefreelyover the mandrel.

G are the solid portions of the plate be tween the slots which supportthe inner coils when the spring is compressed, as referred to above.

G is a flange around the outside ofthe plate, within which the base ofthe spring rests when the machine is in use.

H is a fixture attached to the front slide,O, which I term a bumper. Atthe end of the bumper which is toward the mandrel I provide a plate, H,with which the point E of the mandrel is adapted to engage,and which isprovided with a grooved shank engaged by a pin in the same manner as thepoint at the end of the mandrel, thus leaving plate H free to rotate,the purpose of which will presently be explained. As stated above, bothslides are adapted to reciprocate in the ways. In Figs. 1 and 2 bothslides are shown as in their normal position.

The slide 0, which carries the bumper,is act uated as follows:

I is a strap attached to the under side of the slide far enough back toallow plenty of movement to the slide. This strap is carried forwardover a pulley, K, journalcd under the slide, and its lower end attachedto a footlever, L, hinged to the floor.

M is a strap attached to the under side of slide 0, near its forwardend, which is carried back over pulley K, and provided at its lower endwith a weight, M, which is sufficiently heavy to draw back slide 0 themoment the foot is lifted from lever L. Straps I and M, both of whichpass over pulley K, V

G, which is carried by the other slide, D.

The necessary movement may be imparted to this slide in any suitablemanner, although I preferably use the mechanism which I have illustratedin my drawings. N is the driving-shaft journaled in bearings secured tothe frame-work of the machine, and N the driving-pulley carrying a beltfrom a main or counter shaft.

N is a belt'carrying pulley rigid upon the driving-shaft.

O is a crank-shaft journaled in the same manner as the driving-shaft,but above it.

0' is a loose belt-pulley journaled upon the wrist O of the crank-shaft.

P is a belt, the end of which is attached to the floor by a clamp, I,and which extends up over pulley O, to which it is attached, as at Pthen back under slide O,and is attached to the front end of slide D.

Q is a strap attached to the under side of I slide D, and extending backand partially leys N and 0, when the latter is in the position shown, sothat no motion will be imparted to pulley O.

Uis an operating-rod attached to the crank shaft, by which thecrank-shaft may be partially rotated, thus raising pulley O andtightening belt T,which causes the rotation of pulley 0. As pulley Nrotates from right to left, pulley 0 must move in the same direction andcarry belt P, which is attached thereto, with it, thus moving slide Dforward until it comes in contact with slide 0. I preferably placerubber cushions D upon one or both slides, to prevent their strikingtogether too forcibly.

The operation is as follows: The spring'as coiled is placed over themandrel, with the base of the spring resting on plate G within theflange. Lever L is then pressed down by the foot, overcoming the powerof weight M and moving the bumper up against the mandrel, the pin at theend of the mandrel engaging the rotating plate upon the bumper.

To set the spring, it is simply necessary to press down upon theoperating-rod U, which acts to partially rotate the crank-shaft, thuslifting the loose belt-pulley Oupon the wrist of the crank-shaft untilbelt T is tightened, which then transmits the' motion of pulley N to theloose pulley. As soon as pulley 0 begins to rotate it carries belt Pforward, thus drawing slideD and the spring-carrying plate forward untilfurther movement is stopped by the contact of the two slides, at whichinstant the spring will have been compressed until the base and the apexare in the same vertical plane. It will of course be understood thatthis compression of the spring will tend to unwind the inner coils.

In order to permit a natural unwinding of the coilsfthus giving the bestpossible shape ,to the spring when set, I have so arranged both thepoint of the mandrel and the plate upon the bumper, with which itengagesthat both may rotate freely, as fully explained above. YVhenslide D is drawn forward,that portion of belt P which is carried overpulley 0 will drop loosely to the floor. This action, however, isinstantaneous only, as the moment the hand is removed from theoperating-lever the weight of pulley 0 will cause it to drop down, whichslackens belt T and allows weight S to draw slide D and thespring-carrying plate back to their normal position; Slide 0 and thebumper are likewise drawn back to their normal position by weight M theinstant the foot is lifted from lever L. A single compression of thespring gives it the proper set. The instant the foot is removed fromlever L and the hand is removed from the operating-rod both slides moveback to their normal position. The spring may then be removed from themandrel and another placed on it,when the operation is repeated asbefore. The only adjustment required in changing to longer or shortersprings is to lengthen or shorten belt P, which is readily accomplishedby loosening clamp P when the belt may be moved until slide D and thespringsupporting plate are properly adjusted.

I do not desire to limit myself to the exact details of constructionshown and described,as it is apparent that they may be varied withinreasonable limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

' I claim 1. The combination, with a stationary mandrel and aspring-carrying plate adapted to slide over said mandrel, of abumperadaptedto be moved against the point of the mandrel, and mechanism formoving said plate against the bumper, whereby the spring may becompressed until its coils are in the same plane.

2. The combination, with a stationary mandrel having a point which isadapted to rotate, and a spring-carrying plate adapted to slide oversaid mandrel, of a bumper adapted to be moved against the mandrel,andprovided with aplate which is free to rotate and is adapted to engagethe point of the mandrel, and mechanism for moving said plate againstthe bumper.

3, The combination, with a stationary mandrel consisting of radial wingswhich taper toward the apex and are firmly joined to gether at thecenter of the mandrel, and a plate adapted to slide over said mandrel,and provided with radial slots corresponding with said wings, and solidbearing-points between said slots, of a bumper adapted to be movedagainstthe point of the mandrel, and mechanism for moving said plateagainst the bu mper, whereby when a spring is compressed the inner aswell as the outer coils are supported by said plate.

4. The mandrel and a bumper adapted to slide against its apex, incombination with a movable slide carrying a plate which slides over themandrel,a belt attach ed to said slide, which passes over a loose pulleyjournaled on a crank-shaft and is attached to the floor, a belt passingover the driving-pulley and said loose pulley, and an operatingrodattached to the crank-shaft, which is adapted to raise the loose pulleyand tighten the driving-belt, whereby said slide and plate are movedforward against the bumper.

5. The mandrel, the bumper, the springcarrying plate, and slide D, incombination with belt P, pulleys N and O,the crank-shaft, belt T, andstrap and weight S S.

6. The mandrel having wings E, the plate 7 the drivingshaft, a beltconnecting said pulley with pulley O, and mechanism for raising pulley Oto tighten the belt.

8. In a springsetting machine,slide D, carrying plate G, said slidebeing actuated by belt P, as described, and returned to its normalposition by belts Q and S and a weight, in combination with slide 0,carrying the bumper, which is actuated by belt I and a footlever, andreturned to its normal position by belt M and weight M.

9. Slide D, carrying plate G, and actuated by belt I, shaft It, carryingpulley It, belts Q S, and weight S, in combination with slide D,carrying bumper I-I, pulley K, belts I M, weight M, and the foot lever.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGO BOROHARDT.

Witnesses A. M. W OOSTER, A. B. FAIROHILD.

